"Remember all the movies, Terry, we'd go see,
Tryin' to walk like the heroes we thought we had to be?"
-- Bruce Springsteen, "Hiding in the Backstreets"

"The camera lies all the time. It lies 24 times a second."
-- Brian De Palma

Since the beginning, the private detective has proven to be a popular hero in film. In fact, certain private detective films have represented their eras so well that they've become classics.

Titles in Bold are included in the Thrilling Detective Hall of Fame.

Movies missing from this list might be found at
TV Eyes: The Made for the Tube Movies and Pilots and documentaries can be found listed at the bottom of this page.

Wanna buy 'em? Try Amazon.com, or these suggested dealers.

.

• 120, rue de la Gare (1946, Sirius)
• 8MM (1999, Columbia)
  .
• A
• A toi de jouer Callaghan (1954, France)
• Accomplice (1946, PRC)
• Adventures of a Private Eye (1987)
• The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
• The Adventurous Blonde (1937, Warner Brothers)
• After Midnight With Boston Blackie (1943, Columbia)
• After the Thin Man (1936, MGM)
• Against All Odds (1984, Columbia)
• Al Roach, Private Insectigator (2004, Turner Classic Movies)
• Alias Boston Blackie (1942, Columbia)
• Angel Heart (1987, TriStar)
• Another Thin Man (1939, MGM)
• Appointment with Murder (1948, Film Classics)
• Armed Response (1986, Cinetel)
• Asesinato en el comité central (1982, Spain)
• Asylum (1996)
  .
• B
• The Big Fall (1996, PM Entertainment Group)
• The Big Fix (1978, Universal)
• The Big Lebowski
• The Big Sleep (1946, Warner Brothers)
• The Big Sleep (1978, Winkast)
• The Big Store (1941, MGM)
• Big Town (1947, Paramount; AKA "Guilty Assignment")
• Big Town After Dark (1947, Paramount; AKA "Underworld After Dark")
• Big Town Scandal (1948, Paramount; AKA "Underworld Scandal")
• The Black Bird (1975, Columbia)
• Black Eye (1974, Warner Bros.)
• Blackmail (1947, Republic)
• Blade Runner (1982, Warner Brothers)
• Blind Rage (1978)
• Blonde for a Day (1946, PRC)
• Blondes at Work (1938, Warner Brothers)
• Blood Simple (1985, Foxton Entertainment/River Road)
• Blood Work (2002, Warner Bros.)
• Blue, White and Perfect (1941, 20th Century Fox)
• The Bodyguard (1992)
• Bondage House (1999, Japan)
• Bordello of Blood (1996)
• Boston Blackie and the Law (1946, Columbia)
• Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion (1945, Columbia)
• Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood (1942, Columbia)
• Boston Blackie Meets a Lady (Columbia)
• Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture (1949, Columbia)
• Boston Blackie's Little Pal (1918, Metro)
  Boston Blackie's Rendezvous (1945, Columbia)
• The Brasher Doubloon (1947, 20th Century Fox)
• The Breath (1995, Japan/Taiwan; AKA Umihoozuki)
• Brick (2005, Bergman Lustig Productions)
• The Brotherhood of the Yakuza (1975, Warner Brothers)
• Brown's Requiem (1998)
  .
• C
• Callaghan remet ça (1960, France)
• The Caller (2008, Belladonna Productions)
• Calling Mr.Callaghan (1960, Atlantis)
• Calling Paul Temple (1948)
• The Case of the Baby-Sitter (1947, Screen Art)
• The Case of the Curious Bride (1935, Warner Brothers)
• The Case of the Howling Dog (1934, Warner Brothers)
• The Case of the Lucky Legs (1935, Warner Brothers)
• The Case of the Stuttering Bishop (1937, Warner Brothers)
• The Case of the Velvet Claws (1936, Warner Brothers)
• Catherine's Grove (1997, High Fliers)
• The Chance of a Lifetime (1943, Columbia; see Boston Blackie)
• Chandler (1972)
• Charlie's Angels (2000, Columbia)
• The Cheap Detective (1978, Columbia/EMI)
• Cheaper to Keep Her (1980, American Cinema)
• La chèvre (1981, Gaumont/France)
• Chinatown (1974, Paramount)
• City Heat (1984, Warner Bros.)
• City Streets (1931, Paramount)
• Clean Slate (1994)
• A Close Call for Boston Blackie (1946, Columbia)
• The Cobra Strikes (1948, Eagle-lion Films)
• Code 7, Victim 5 (1964, Columbia Pictures)
• Come Back, Charleston Blue (1972)
• La Conciergerie (1997, Canadian, AKA The Haven)
• Confessions of Boston Blackie (1941, Columbia)
• Confidential (1986, Brightstar)
• The Conversation (1974, Paramount)
• Convicted (1938, Columbia)
• Cotton Comes To Harlem (1970)
• Cowboy Bebop: Tengoku No Tobira (2001, Columbia)
• Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door (2001, Columbia)
• Crime by Night (1944, Warner Brothers)
• The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001, Dreamworks)
• Curtain at Eight (1934, Majestic)
• The Cutter (2005, Sony Pictures)
  .
• D
• Dangerous Female (1931, Also known as The Maltese Falcon)
• Dangerous Lady (1941, PRC)
• The Dark Corner (1946, 20th Century Fox)
• Darker Than Amber (1970, National General)
• Darwin Awards (2005, 3 Ring Circus Films)
• A Date with The Falcon (1941, RKO)
• Dead Again (1991, Paramount)
• Dead End (1999, Canada)
• Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982, Universal)
• Dead of Night (2008; in production)
• Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street (1972, German)
• Dead Women in Lingerie (1990, Curb Esquire Films)
• Deadly Illusion (1987, Pound Ridge Films)
• Death of a Champion (1939, Paramount)
• Deadly Passion (1985, Lightning Video)
• Death Journey (1975)
• Le Dernier souffle (1999, Canada; AKA Dead End)
• The Detective (1968, Fox)
• Detectives Inc. (1985, Shamus Productions)
• Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
• The Devil's Cargo (1948, Film Classics)
• The Devil's Mask (1946, Columbia)
• Diamond's Edge (1988, Red Rooster; AKA Just Ask For Diamond)
• Dick Barton at Bay (1950, Exclusive Films)
• Dick Barton, Special Agent (1948, Exclusive Films)
• Dick Barton Strikes Back (1949, Exclusive Films)
• Die Hard (1988, Fox)
• Dirty Work (1998, MGM/UA)
• Divorce Detective (1931)
• Dixie Ray, Hollywood Star
• Doomed to Die (1940, Monogram)
• Double Indemnity (1944, Paramount)
• Dressed to Kill (1941, 20th Century Fox)
• The Drowning Pool (1976, Warner Brothers)
  .
• E
• Eight Million Ways to Die (1986, Producer Sales Organisation)
• Ego Trip (1994, Canadian; AKA Ride Me)
• 8MM (1999, Columbia)
• The Empty Beach (1985, Jethro Films)
• Enigme aux Folies-Bergeres (1959)
• Everybody Wins (1990, Orion Pictures)
• The Eye (2000 , Seville Pictures)
• Eyes in the Night (1942, MGM)
  .
• F
• The Falcon's Adventure (1946, RKO)
• The Falcon's Alibi (1946, RKO)
• The Falcon and the Co-Eds (1943, RKO)
• The Falcon in Danger (1943, RKO)
• The Falcon in Hollywood (1944, RKO)
• The Falcon in Mexico (1944, RKO)
• The Falcon in San Francisco (1945, RKO)
• The Falcon Out West (1944, RKO)
• The Falcon Strikes Back (1943, RKO)
• The Falcon Takes Over (1942, RKO)
• The Falcon's Brother (1942, RKO)
• Farewell, My Lovely (1944, RKO; AKA Murder, My Sweet)
• Farewell, My Lovely (1975, EK Corporation/ITC)
• Fat Chance (1975, 20th Century-Fox)
• The Fat Man (1951, Universal)
• The Fatal Hour (1940, Monogram)
• Fatal Pursuit (1997, Crossroads Entertainment)
• Find the Blackmailer (1943, Warner Bros.)
• Fletch (1985, Universal)
• Fletch Lives (1989, Universal)
• Fly Away Baby (1937, Warner Brothers)
• Foxtrap (1985)
• Frank McKlusky, C.I. (2002, Touchstone)
• The French Key (1946)
• From Hollywood to Deadwood (1989, Island Pictures)
• Frozen With Fear (2000, Milagro Films)
• Fugitive Lady (1951, Republic)
• F/X2: The Deadly Art of Illusion (1991, Orion)
  .
• G
• The Gay Falcon (1941, RKO)
• The Girl Hunters (1963, Fellane)
• Going Undercover (1988, Miramax)
• Gone Baby Gone (2007, Miramax)
• The Gore Gore Girls.(1972, Lewis Motion Picture Enterprises)
• Gotham (1988, Showtime)
• Grand Central Murder (1942, MGM)
• The Grissom Gang (1971)
• Guilty Assignment (1947, Paramount; AKA "Big Town")
• Guilty Bystander (1950, Film Classics)
• Gumshoe (1972, Memorial Enterprises)
• A Gun, A Car, A Blonde (1998)
• Gunn (1967, Paramount)
• Guns and Lipstick (1995)
  .
• H
• Hammett (1983, Orion Pictures/Warner Brothers)
• Happy Birthday, Turke! (1992)
• Hard Boiled
• Harper (1966, Warner Brothers)
• Harukana Jidai no Kaidan O (1994 , Japan; AKA Stairway to the Distant Past)
• The Hat-Box Mystery (1947, Screen Art)
• The Haven (1997, Canadian)
• Having a Wonderful Crime (1945, RKO)
• Heartaches (1947, PRC)
• Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
• Hickey and Boggs (1972, United Artists)
• The Hidden Eye (1945, MGM)
• High Tide (1947, Monogram)
• The High Window (1947, 20th Century Fox; AKA The Brasher Doubloon)
• Hold That Woman (1940, PRC)
• Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988)
• Hollywood Confidential (1997, Fox)
• Hollywood Harry (1985, U.S.A.)
• Hollywoodland (2006, Focus Features/Miramax)
• Honeymoon in Vegas (1992, MGM)
• The House of Fate (1936, RKO; AKA Muss 'em Up)
• The Hunter (1980, Paramount /Rastar Pictures)
  .
• I
• I Come with the Rain (2008; in production)
• I Cover Big Town (1947, Paramount; AKA "I Cover the Underworld")
• I Cover the Underworld (1947, Paramount; AKA "I Cover Big Town")
• I Love a Mystery (1945, Columbia)
• I Love Trouble (1948, Columbia Pictures Corporation / Cornell Pictures)
• I, the Jury (1953, Parklane Productions)
• I, the Jury (1982, Warner Brothers)
• In the Electric Mist (2007; in production)
• In the Mouth of Madness (1995, New Line Cinema)
• Incident (1948, Monogram)
• It's a Wonderful World (1939, MGM)
• It's Called Murder, Baby (1982, Lightning Video)
  .
• J
• Jimmy the Gent (1934, Warner Bros.)
• Just Ask for Diamond (1988, Red Rooster; AKA Diamond's Edge)
• Just Off Broadway (1942, 20th Century Fox)
  .
• K
• Kill Me Again (1989, MGM)
• A Killer Within. (2004, Fireside Entertainment)
• Kiss Me Deadly (1955, Parklane Productions)
• Klute (1971, Warner Brothers)
• Knockin' On Heaven's Door (2001, Columbia)
  ..
• L
• LA Bounty
• La chévre (1981, Gaumont)
• La Conciergerie (1997, Canadian, AKA The Haven)
• La Nuit d'Austerlitz 1954, Telefilm)
• La nuit de Saint-Germain-des-Pres (1977, Filmologies)
• Larceny in Her Heart (1946, PRC)
• Lady In Cement (1968, 20th Century Fox)
• The Lady in the Lake (1947, MGM)
• The Lady in the Morgue (1938, Universal)
• The Last Boy Scout (1991, Geffen Pictures)
• The Last Express (1938, Universal)
• The Last Fight (1982, Best Film & Video)
• The Last Warning (1938, Universal)
• The Late Show (1977, Warner Brothers)
• The League of Frightened Men (1937, Columbia)
• Les Rats de Montsouris (1988, Telefilm)
• Lesbionage
• Living to Die (1991, Trinity)
  
• The Lone Wolf (series of films, from 1914-49)
• The Long Goodbye (1973, United Artists)
• The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996, Forge/New Line Cinema) 
• Looking for Kitty (2004, Marlboro Road Gang)
• Los mares del sur (1990, Cyrkfilms/I.C.C./Spain)
• The Lost Son (1999, Columbia Tristar/United International)
• Love at Large (1990, Orion)
• Love Happy (1949, United Artists)
• Love in the Afternoon (1957, Allied Artists Pictures Corporation)
• Love Walked In (1999, TriStar)
• Love You to Death (see Deadly Illusion)
• A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994)
• The Lucky Stiff (1949)
  ..
• M
• Make Your Own Bed (1944)
• The Maltese Falcon (1931, Warner Brothers)
• The Maltese Falcon (1941, Warner Brothers)
• The Man With Bogart's Face (1980, Fox)
• The Man Who Wouldn't Die (1942, 20th Century Fox)
• Man Killer (1933, Warner Brothers; see Private Detective 62)
• Manhandled (1949, Paramount)
• Marlowe (1969, MGM)
• M'as-tu vu en cadavre? (1982)
• A Matter of Principal (2003, Another Level Inc.)
• Meet Boston Blackie (1941, Columbia)
• Meet Flashgun Casey (1937, MGM; also known as Here's Flash Casey)
• Meet Mr. Callaghan (1954, British Eros)
• Meet Nero Wolfe (1936, Columbia)
• Memento (2001, I Remember/Newmarket Capital Group/Team Todd)
• Michael Shayne, Private Detective (1940, 20th Century Fox)
• The Midnight Man (1974, Universal Pictures)
• Mike Hammer's Mickey Spillane (1998, documentary)
• Mission Kill (1991, Betaview Film/Hong Kong; AKA Tu ying dang an)
• Mister Dynamite (1935, Universal Pictures)
• Mr. Wong, Detective (1938, Monogram)
• Mr. Wong in Chinatown (1939, Monogram)
• Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone (1950, MGM)
• The Monkey's Mask (2000)
• Mortelle Randonnèe (1983; in French)
• Murder By Death (1976, Columbia TriStar)
• Murder Goes to College (1937, Paramount)
• Murder is My Business (1946, PRC)
• Murder, My Sweet (1944, RKO)
• Murder With Pictures (1936, Paramount Pictures)
• Muss 'em Up (1936, RKO)
• My Favorite Brunette (1947)
• My Gun Is Quick (1957, United Artists)
• Mysterious Intruder (1946, Columbia)
• Mystery in Mexico (1948, RKO)
• Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939, Monogram)
  ..
• N
• The Naked Face (1984, Cannon)
• Nancy Drew (2007, Warner Brothers)
• Nestor Burma, detective en choc (1982, Zenith)
• Nick Danger in the Case of the Missing Yolks (1983, Nesmith Enterprises)
• Night Moves (1975, Warner Brothers)
• No Hands on the Clock (1941, Paramount)
• No Orchids for Miss Blandish (1948)
• No Way Back (1976)
  ..
• O
• An Occasional Hell (1996, Greenlight Productions)
• One Mysterious Night (1944, Columbia; see Boston Blackie)
• One Never Knows (see You Never Can Tell)
• Out of the Past (1947, RKO)
• The Overlookers (2004, Overlook Terrace Productions)
  
  
• P
• P.J. (1968, Universal)
• Passion For Danger (1973, Columbia; AKA Shamus)
• Passkey to Danger (1946, Republic)
• Paul Temple Returns (1950, Nettlefold Films)
• Paul Temple's Triumph (1950, Butchers/Nettlefold Films)
• Peeper (1975, Twentieth-Century Fox)
• Phantom of Chinatown (1940, Monogram)
• The Phantom Thief (1946, Columbia; see Boston Blackie)
• Philo Vance's Gamble (1947, PRC)
• Playback (1995 Precious/Playboy)
• Plunder of the Sun (1953, Warner Brothers)
• Plus de whiskey pour Callaghan (1954, France)
• Polar (1984, Les Films Noirs/France 3; French)
• Pour la peau d'un flic ((1981, Adel Productions; French)
• Private Detective (1939, Warner Brothers)
• Private Detective 62 (1933, Warner Brothers)
• The Private Eye Blues (1994, Hong Kong)
• Pulp Fiction Art: Cheap Thrills & Painted Nightmares (2005 documentary)
• Pure Luck (1991, Universal)
  ..
• Q
• 
  .
• R
• The Raven Red Kiss-Off (1990, Fries Entertainment)
• Raw Justice (1993, West Side Studios)
• Ride Me (1994, Canadian: AKA Ego Trip)
• Riff Raff (1947, RKO)
• The Right Temptation (2000, Columbia)
• Roadblock (1951, RKO)
• Roadhouse Nights (1930, USA)
• The Runaround (1946)
• Russian Doll (2001, Beyond Films/Screen Artists -- Australia)
  ..
• S
• St. Ives (1976, Warner Brothers)
• Sam Marlow, Private Eye (1980, Fox)
• Satan Met a Lady (1936, Warner Brothers)
• Search for Danger (1949, Film Classics)
• Secret Agent X-9 (1937)
• Secret File: Hollywood (1962, Crown International)
• Send For Paul Temple (1946, Butchers)
• Shadow of the Thin Man (1941, MGM)
• Shaft (1971, MGM)
• Shaft's Big Score! (1972, MGM)
• Shaft in Africa (1973, MGM)
• Shaft (2000)
• Shamus (1973, Columbia)
• Sheba, Baby (1975, American-International)
• Silver City (2004, Silver City Films Inc./Anarchist's Convention Films)
• The Singing Detective (2003, Haft Entertainment/Icon Entertainment)
• Skip Tracer (1977, Highlight Productions)
• Sleepers West (1941, 20th Century Fox)
• Shamus (1973, Columbia)
• Smart Blonde (1936, Warner Brothers)
• The Smiling Man (2007, Kelp Entertainment)
• Song of the Thin Man (1947, MGM)
• South Beach (1992, Po' Boy Productions)
• The Spider (1945, Twentieth Century Fox)
• The Squeeze (1987, TriStar)
• Stairway to the Distant Past (1994, Japan)
• Sunburn (1979, Paramount)
  ..
• T
• Tales from the Crypt: Bordello of Blood (1996)
• The Tattoo Connection (1979, Hong Kong)
• Tatort - Tote Taube in der Beethovenstrasse (1972, German)
• Tatuaje (1976, Profilmar/Spain)
• Tengoku No Tobira (2001, Columbia)
• They All Laughed (1981, MGM)
• The Thin Man (1934, MGM)
• The Thin Man Goes Home (1944, MGM)
• This Man is Dangerous (1941)
• The Thomas Crown Affair (1968, United Artists)
• The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
• Three on a Ticket (1947, PRC)
• Time to Kill (1942, 20th Century Fox)
• Tokyo Raiders (2000)
• Tony Rome (1967, 20th Century Fox)
• Too Many Winners (1947, PRC)
• Torchy Blane in Chinatown (1939, Warner Brothers).
• Torchy Blane in Panama (1938, Warner Brothers)
• Torchy Gets Her Man (1938, Warner Brothers)
• Torchy Plays with Dynamite (1939, Warner Brothers)
• Torchy Runs For Mayor (1939, Warner Brothers)
• Total Exposure (1991, Republic)
• Trader Hornee (1970, Entertainment Ventures Inc)
• Trap (1996, Japan)
• Trapped By Boston Blackie (1948, Columbia)
• Trixie (2000, Pandora Cinema/Sandcastle 5 Productions)
• Trouble in Panama (1938, Warner Brothers)
• Trouble Man (1972, 20th Century Fox/JDFB Productions)
• Tu ying dang an (1991, Betaview Film/Hong Kong; AKA Mission Kill)
• Twilight (1998, Paramount)
• The Two Jakes (1990, Paramount)
  ..
• U
• Umihoozuki (1995, Japan/Taiwan; AKA The Breath)
• Under Suspicion (1992, Columbia)
• Underworld After Dark (1947, Paramount; AKA "Big Town After Dark")
• Underworld Scandal (1948, Paramount; AKA "Big Town Scandal")
• Uneasy Terms (1948, British Pathe)
• The Unknown (1946, Columbia)
• An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1982, Boyd's/Castle Hill)
  ...
• V
• Vares (2004; AKA "Vares, Private Eye")
• Vertigo (1958, Paramount)
  ..
• W
• Waga jinsei saiaku no toki (1993, Japan; AKA The Most Terrible Time in My Life)
• Wana (1996, Japan; AKA Trap)
• The Westland Case (1937, Universal)
• Where's Marlowe? (1998, Paramount)
• Whispering City (1947, Eagle-Lion/Québec Productions)
• Whispering Smith (1916, Signal Film)
• Whispering Smith (1926, Metropolitan)
• Whispering Smith (1948, Paramount)
• Whispering Smith Hits London (1951, Hammer-Lesser/RKO)
• Whispering Smith Investigates (1951, Hammer-Lesser/RKO)
• Whispering Smith Rides (1927, Universal Pictures)
• Whispering Smith Speaks (1935, Fox)
• Whispering Smith Vs. Scotland Yard (1951, Hammer-Lesser/RKO)
• Who Done It? (1956, Ealing Studios)
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988, Touchstone Pictures)
• Who's Harry Crumb? (1989)
• Wild At Heart (1990)
• Woman in the Dark (1934, RKO)
• Woman in the Shadows (1934, RKO)
• Women Are Trouble (1936, MGM)
• World for Ransom (1954, Plaza Productions)
• The Most Terrible Time in My Life (1993, Japan)
  ..
• X
• 
  ..
• Y
• The Yakuza (1975, Warner Brothers)
• Yellow Pages (1988, Miramax)
• You Never Can Tell (1951, Universal)
• You Never Know (see You Never Can Tell)
  .
• Z
• Zen Noir (2007, Dreaming Dog Entertainment/Zenmovie))
• Zero Effect (1998, Castle Rock)

DOCUMENTARIES

• Pulp Fiction Art: Cheap Thrills & Painted Nightmares (2005 documentary)

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